BARIATRIC CARE VR
ROLE
Research Assistant / VR Developer
DESCRIPTION
A virtual reality educational platform designed to support healthcare professionals' clinical decision-making and
empathy training in regards to bariatric patients.
Bariatric Care VR consists of two components. The empathy training component consists of a cinematic VR experience, where users experience first-hand the
hospital transfer process from the perspective of a
bariatric patient. The clinical decision-making element presents users with various scenarios and requires them
to set up a hospital room with the appropriate equipment for the patient's situation.
Currently in development, Bariatric Care VR is expected to have a complete demo by April 2025.
COMPANY
Victoria University of Wellington
YEAR
2024 (Demo complete March 2025)
GENRE
Educational Platform
GALLERY
Menu
Menu Corridor
Double Hospital Room
Menu
EXPERIENCE & SKILL DEVELOPMENT
As VR Developer, I am responsible for the development and optimisation of Bariatric Care VR, which aims to address the significant health challenges faced by individuals living with extreme obesity (PlwO) in Aotearoa, particularly among Māori and Pacific Peoples. This project responds to the inherent discrimination and marginalisation that PlwO encounter within the healthcare system, where inadequate facilities and weight bias among healthcare professionals often lead to poor quality of care.
Using Unreal Engine 5, I create immersive and accurate hospital environments, and program all functionality within the educational platform. Through extensive testing and debugging I ensure the application has high performance, quality and responsiveness. Collaboration with researchers and healthcare professionals ensures all content is accurate and well presented, creating a realistic learning experience that effectively addresses the challenges faced by individuals with extreme obesity and promotes empathy among trainees.
So far, my experience working on the Bariatric Care VR project has provided me with valuable knowledge surrounding the more niche capabilities of Unreal Engine, building immersive environments, and programming. My understanding of Unreal Engine Blueprints has already developed further, allowing me to design intuitive interactions and mechanics effectively. Moving forward, my goal is to refine these skills even further, focusing on user feedback to create a truly impactful and engaging VR experience.